A Flight of Fancy
by Eidolon-Zephyr
Summary: She was different. A curiosity for him to explore, categorize, then cast away. Why, then, was he still not satisfied years later? He would get to the bottom of it, no matter the cost. The story of how a simple meeting became an obsession. Aro/Bella
1. Intro

The first time he met her was when she was ten years old. The window of his hotel suite was open so he could idly watch the insignificant mice run about, rushing through their fleeting lives as if there were a physical clock above their heads. Which, he supposed with a faint twitch of his lips, wasn't necessarily wrong. Humans' lives were almost disappointingly short. It led to them sprinting headlong through their short existence in a vivid and violent explosion of color and life that was second only in beauty to the taste and smell of their blood. Aro was not an immortal that chose to ignore what humans did. Information was important, after all. He never involved himself, however, because while he was curious, he was not foolish. Humanity, beautiful as it was, was dangerous.

Nonetheless, seeing the wondrous things they could create in their limited lifespan was absolutely fascinating. One such thing was held in his hand and his bright red eyes traced the smooth lines of the small silver phone as he ran a thumb across its surface. Such wondrous little inventions, he thought with a soft huff of air. He abruptly went rigid as he breathed in, nearly crushing the phone in his palm, completely ignoring the soft calls of "Master?" from behind him.

That smell…

He was no longer in a hotel room waiting for night to fall before exterminating a reckless coven in the American Southwest, but in the house of his human life, a house he was sure he'd forgotten over the millennia, in Greece. The sun was warm upon his shoulders, and a light sea breeze weaved through his dark hair. He stood to one side of his family's courtyard, one hand splayed against the wall of his home, the rough brick warm beneath his fingertips. In an array of purples, white, and yellow, flowers grew along the edges and center of the courtyard, a product of his sister's caring guidance. He breathed in their scent, smiling to himself.

Crocuses.

Aro blinked, dismissing the imagery, and leaned toward the window, pressing against it almost desperately to locate the source of that treasured smell. Below his window on the sidewalk, he saw a small girl in a white and blue sundress on her hands and knees, her tiny hands clenched into tight fists. The woman standing next to her, a rather unremarkable human with wavy brown hair and blue eyes, sighed sharply and put her hands on her hips.

"Again, Bella?"

 _Bella._

"Sorry, I'm fine," came the soft reply.

The woman knelt down and offered a hand to help the girl up.

"Come on, honey, we're going to be late to the movie."

"I know. I'm sorry."

The little girl pulled herself to her feet, ignoring the proffered hand, and winced slightly. Aro narrowed his eyes and swallowed down the reflexive pooling of venom as he caught sight of the blood on her knee. So it was her blood that was the source of the smell? Interesting. He continued to observe as she bravely fought to not show the pain on her face. With a slight limp, she followed behind her mother, one hand reaching to grab the woman's hand (she had too much pride to accept help, but was still enough of a child to seek comfort in spite of it, then; Aro found this both amusing and delightful) and the other tangling in her own mahogany locks, tugging slightly. Was it in nervousness or agitation? For some reason – which set off a faint, niggling curiosity in the back of his mind – he wished he knew. To Aro's surprise, as Bella turned her head this way and that, she turned her head up and made eye contact with him, causing him to stop breathing. No, wait. Perhaps she hadn't seen, as her eyes swept past. Her attention went back to her feet in deep concentration, possibly to prevent another tumble. He took an unnecessary breath, shoving down the peculiar tingle spreading through his limbs. Why was he feeling this way?

"Master? What is wrong?"

He waved a hand distractedly, following Bella with his eyes until they rounded a corner where he lost sight of them.

"Nothing at all, dear Jane. That little human simply fascinates me."

He heard more than saw her face crinkling in confusion and mild distaste.

"Would you like for one of us to fetch her, Master?"

For a split moment, Aro seriously considered the idea. He could find out why this young human smelled like home, kill her, and be done with it, letting it be categorized and filed away with no further thought on the matter. But no. Simply killing her would not do. That would spoil the fun, now wouldn't it?

"No. We will let this one live. In fact…" he allowed a pleased little grin to form, inwardly excited at the idea developing in his head. He turned to face Jane, paying no mind to her perpetually blank look. His hands folded on his lap and one leg propped itself on his knee.

"After we are done with this silly little coven that thought they could dare defy our laws, I am tasking you with an extended mission."

Jane blinked.

"A mission, Master?"

"Indeed. I want you to follow that human and provide me with monthly reports. If you must, I am authorizing you to take Demetri with you if you are at any point unable to find her."

The small vampire was silent for a moment as she processed the request, not allowing any emotion to show on her face, before replying.

"Of course, Master. What shall the reports consist of?"

She didn't ask about _why_ he wanted to keep tabs on the girl. Good. It was not really her place, or any of the Guard's, to ask for reasons behind his decisions. He raised a hand in a casual gesture, tilting his head to emphasize the effect.

"Whatever information you feel would be pertinent. I shall trust your judgment in this matter."

Another moment passed before she nodded minutely, bowing slightly at the waist.

"It shall be done."

* * *

The last vampire squirmed in Aro's grip, a look of terror plastered on his face. The pieces of his coven mates lay in a pile, burning quickly. To onlookers, Aro appeared benevolent, holding the kneeling vampire's face in a way that seemed deceptively gentle. His expression was almost sad, like a disappointed parent. Tears of venom were pooled in his captive's eyes, never to spill.

"M'lord, Master Aro, please, we didn't mean to, I didn't mean to, I won't do it anymore I swear, please, just let me go, please, I promise, I promise I won't, _please_ –"

"Shh, shh. You should have known better, Mister Ames. You know I simply cannot allow any of our kind to go unchecked. It is a danger to our world. Your actions almost exposed us to the humans, and we do not want _that_ , do we?"

Ames shook his head as much as he was able, seemingly dry sobbing in his fear.

"There, there, it will be alright now. There will be no more accidents, no more suffering. Allow me to set you free."

With that, Aro seemed to barely flick his wrists and the vampire's head was detached with a metallic screech, cutting off whatever pleas may have come after. Jane and Demetri pulled the rest of the body apart and added it to the pile of burning corpses. Aro sighed lightly to himself, brushing his hands off on the edge of his suit jacket.

"Distasteful," he intoned softly, but then he rounded on his guard and clapped his hands together, a genial smile on his face.

"Now then, with this matter completed, you should begin on your new mission posthaste! I trust the first report will be in my grasp within the next week. Thereafter, your reports will be expected on the first of each new month. Please do not tarry, my dear."

It looked like Jane wanted to say something, but instead clenched her jaw and made a short, stiff bow. Aro waved after her as she walked off, smiling.

"Do be safe!"

There was no reply, and the elder vampire chuckled to himself. Even if she didn't like it, she would do as he said. She had no choice in the matter. And that was precisely how he liked it.

* * *

 _Report 1:_

 _Full name: Isabella Marie Swan_

 _Blood Type: O-_

 _Birth Date: September 13, 1994_

 _Age: 10_

 _Progenitors: Renee Higginbotham Swan / Charlie Swan (Status: Divorced)_

 _Current Residence: Phoenix, Arizona, United States_

 _Disposition: Unusually serious compared to other young humans in the same age group._

So her full name was Isabella. Aro said it to himself a couple of times, allowing the letters to roll off his tongue. It was a pleasing name. He moved to his desk, tutting softly and pulling out a spare piece of parchment.

 _Dearest Jane,_

 _I thank you for being so prompt, but may I suggest that you add a little more zest to your narrative?_

 _-A.V._

Jane stared at the letter, trying to fight off a scowl. This was already enough of a pain; now he wanted her to tell him a story? What was this human even worth? She sighed through her nose in an uncharacteristic sign of agitation and closed her eyes.

Fine.

He would get his _stories_.

 _Report 1.5_

 _Isabella seems to be exceptionally clumsy and actively avoids contact with her peers. It is not obvious as to why yet. She is prideful and takes exception to others thinking that she is helpless._

Well _he_ could have told her _that_ , Aro thought to himself with a derisive and ungentlemanly snort. He'd seen that trait in her already, as obvious as the sky was blue.

 _She has been observed to care for her home's flowers and plants, as well as most other menial tasks. Her mother does not seem to do much, in comparison. It almost seems as if the child is the parent instead of the adult._

Self-sufficient at such a tender age. _Fascinating_. It was rather uncommon to see such maturity in humans her age in this century. As he considered the information already gathered, he wondered if perhaps such self-sufficiency was not as pleasing a concept as it could have been. Young should be taken care of by their parents, not reverse.

It would take more information, more learning.

And he intended to learn everything about her, at least until he'd satisfied his curiosity and properly categorized her in the vast expanses of his mind.

All he needed was time, and he had a lot of time.

All the time in the world.


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: Thanks for the warm welcome, you guys. The pairing kind of bit me and I had to get something out since the pairing isn't as common as I like. I hope you enjoy!  
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plotline.

* * *

As time had gone by, Aro had stopped paying any mind to the flow of time itself, merely taking passing note of any interesting developments, vampire or human. It was a patchwork of events, blips on an empty and endless timeline.

Until _she_ came along.

Suddenly, time had slowed down a bit more than normal, and he found himself watching the world around him with more interest than he usually bothered with. On more than one occasion, he found Marcus staring at him with an odd expression on his face before going back to watching whatever played in his mind constantly (Aro had a fairly good idea of what it was – he hardly needed to touch Marcus to know that his existence revolved around his deceased mate. He refused to regret what he did. It had been for the greater good. _Whose_ greater good that was for was subjective, and he didn't care to elucidate.)

7 years had passed since he had begun monitoring the young human, and _still_ he wasn't satisfied. He felt he would never be satisfied. Why? What was it about this girl, this _Isabella_ , that was so utterly fascinating? He thumbed through the most recent report, feeling a smirk pull at the corner of his mouth. It was likely he knew the girl better than her own parents knew her, perhaps even better than she knew herself.

 _Report 88_

 _Isabella is on time with household payments, as usual. There is an elevated level of unrest in the house, and Isabella is more pensive than normal. She has secluded herself in her room, and Renee spends most of her time in the household shifting restlessly. I believe it is due to Renee finding a new human to spend time with, and it is becoming apparent that the male wishes to make the arrangement more permanent._

 _A young human male has taken an interest in Isabella at her educational institution, but she has so far spurned the advances. It is just as well. He is not worthy of her attentions._

Aro smiled at this. It seemed Jane had become attached to Isabella over the years. How amusing.

 _Her performance in her classes remains outstanding, and she has increased the number of books she reads per week to three._ Wuthering Heights _maintains a place of distinction within her bag._

She was becoming quite the bibliophile. Aro raised his eyes to glance at the walls of books around him. Oh, how his Isabella would simply _love_ his study. He paused, playing his thought backward in his mind. _His_ Isabella? Well that just wouldn't do. He moved on to the next report, putting the issue out of his mind until he felt ready to deal with it.

 _Report 89_

 _Renee has married the male named Phil. Despite the joviality of the event, both Renee and Isabella seem unhappy when not distracted. It is becoming apparent that the…rift…that has been between them since I began following them, may never be mended._

 _The restlessness pervading the household remains, and has increased over time in Renee. She wants to accompany this Phil to his various sports functions, but cannot with Isabella remaining. Isabella knows this, and may be weighing her options based on how she continues to grab her phone, only to put it back. Perhaps she intends to go with her father._

 _Isabella has turned 17 today. As before, Isabella made no spectacle of the event, and has quietly accepted a dinner that Renee has offered to make._

 _The dinner was inedible, and Isabella quietly made a new dish._

 _She has chosen to move in with her father, to grant her mother the freedom that she craves. I will provide another report once she has settled into her new permanent home._

Moving. Aro laid the reports down and clasped his hands behind his back, making a slow circuit around his room. She would be leaving the arid climes of Arizona and moving to Washington, a place almost constantly beset by rain or heavy cloud cover.

A place he could move freely.

His hands tightened around each other and he stopped moving, standing with the stillness only a vampire could achieve. Perhaps this little… _obsession_ …of his was going too far. Under no circumstances could he see her, nor should he. She was simply a human, a curiosity to entertain him. A fascinating human, but a human nonetheless, no matter how interesting she was, or how potentially gifted. He thought back to one of the first reports, his milky red eyes becoming fixated on the floor.

–

 _A knock sounded on the door of his study and he jovially granted entrance, pushing away from his desk where he had been writing in a scroll. It was time for his monthly report, and he felt a tingle of excitement. What new information would be provided to him this day?_

 _To his surprise, he saw Demetri standing in the doorway, his head bowed and a scroll clutched in his hand._

 _"_ _Demetri? What ever are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Jane?"_

 _"_ _Master. My humblest apologies."_

 _Apologies? What was this? Aro stepped forward to take the scroll and felt his eyebrows begin to draw together when Demetri immediately knelt, presenting the back of his neck. Only those who had failed him utterly would present themselves so. If Demetri was doing this, then…_

 _Aro tore the scroll open, feeling an uncharacteristic growl building in his chest. On the paper were only two lines._

 ** _Report 17_**

 ** _We have lost track of her. She left her home while we were feeding, but she will be found, I swear it._**

 ** _She is immune to Demetri's gift._**

 _Immune…the growl died before it could manifest and Aro read the report six more times to be sure he was understanding the contents._

 _Young Isabella was…immune! He began laughing wildly, throwing his hands in the air and tossing the report in an unknown direction. Demetri bodily flinched, not quite expecting that reaction._

 _"_ _Stand, dear Demetri. This is marvelous news!" Aro exclaimed, warmth permeating his tone._

 _"_ _Master?" Demetri questioned as he stood, not quite believing his luck._

 _"_ _A gifted human. Manifesting at such an early age and being powerful enough to block your ability to track is…phenomenal. Isabella is_ truly _magnifico."_

 _–_

" _Magnifico_ ," he breathed, imitating his memory.

He would not be able to stay away, he knew this. Even as he tried to tell himself that it was a bad idea, he knew it was impossible. His feet began moving again, his internal clock telling him it was time to feed. Isabella was far too interesting, and had far too much potential value to ever let slip by. She would not be a simple human to grow old, marry, reproduce, and die decrepit. No, no, no. She was meant for _more_ , meant for greatness, and he fully intended to see that vision become reality.

Even if it meant making her a soulless monster like him.

* * *

Aro didn't flinch as he heard the snap of bone and pained screams filling the air of the feeding room. He gently deposited the body he'd been feeding on and dabbed at the corner of his mouth with his pinky. There were two more snaps followed by higher pitched screaming. Typical Caius.

"Brother, stop playing with your food," he said blandly.

There was a low growl and another snap. There was only a raspy moan this time.

"Blood is sweeter when suffused with fear, dear _brother_."

"It is distasteful."

"It is our _right_. Unlike you, Aro, I have no shame in what I am."

Aro's expression remained placid, his hands folding neatly in his lap. His eyes flicked from the unnaturally bent limbs of the human in Caius's grip, to Caius's sneering face, and only felt something akin to mild disappointment.

"I do not deny my nature, nor is there any shame, dear Caius. I simply find no need, nor take any particular joy, in unnecessarily maiming my food."

"You are too _soft_ , Aro. Humanity exists to serve our needs, and one of my needs is to have a good meal. Another is to inflict pain. Yet another is to remind humans of their inferiority. I see no issue in satisfying all of these needs at once."

Aro stood, running his hands down the front of his suit, smoothing down nonexistent wrinkles.

"Not indulging in sadism does not make me weak, Caius. I am very well capable of doing what needs to be done, and that includes silencing those that mistake my mercy for weakness."

His smile was soft, but his eyes were glinting dangerously. Caius's sneer faded to a wary glare, acknowledging the threat, and turned away to bury his face in the throat of his victim with a snarl.

Aro turned away from the spectacle, his hands loosely clasped behind his back. Caius was a valuable asset, an intelligent and hateful beast that was only just barely leashed by a love of violence that was more commonplace in the daily matters of the Volturi than Aro was really satisfied with. But even the most valuable tool had its limits and wasn't worth keeping if it could do more harm than good. It was an edict he lived by. Centuries of companionship would not change that edict.

* * *

He glided like a specter through the halls of the castle, eyes roving over portraits and paintings that he had seen countless times. Boredom tugged at his dead heart again, and he sighed inaudibly. It was becoming a little too frequent for his liking, this feeling. He had power, he had fortune, he had respect and fear. He even had a wife to warm his bed (as ironic a statement as that was). When had it not become _enough_? Quick footsteps brought him out of his reverie and he began to smile as Demetri approached, but faltered when he saw the scroll in the vampire's grip. He knew what that was. But why so soon? Demetri bowed quickly, holding out the scroll.

"Master."

With spidery fingers, Aro plucked the scroll from Demetri's hand and moved around him, heading toward his study.

"Dismissed, Demetri. Thank you."

A thousand candles lit the room of his study and a light frown began to tug at his mouth as he stared down at the scroll in his hand. The paper was beginning to crinkle from the force of his grip. Was he nervous? Excited? He sat at his desk and slowly pulled the scroll open. There was no report number.

 _Isabella has made contact with the Cullens._

The Cullens. _Carlisle_.

His words were slow, thoughtful, but his mind was racing, his lips pulling upward. "So that is where you ended up, my old friend. I see…perhaps I owe you a visit, then."

Decision made, he stood and softly called for Demetri. It was high time he left Volterra once again.

* * *

Alice Cullen froze, her eyes going blank as she was pulled into a vision. Just ahead of her, Jasper paused, honing in on the surprise and confusion that his wife was feeling. He turned to face her, his brow scrunching together.

"Alice, darlin', are you alright?"

The small vampire blinked several times, taking an unnecessary breath. The rest of the family had heard Jasper and gathered in the living room where she'd stopped. Her eyes met each one of her family members, and she was glad Edward was not here to see what she had seen.

"We're going to have company."


	3. Chapter 2

Summary: In which Aro confronts his brothers or  
In which Alice extends an invitation.  
Note: I know the build-up is slow, but please be patient with me! I'm glad you're all enjoying so far.

* * *

"How soon can we depart?" Aro asked as he walked, the vampire behind him trailing just a step behind.

"Within, the hour, Lord Aro," came the swift reply.

"Most excellent!" he responded cheerfully.

He promptly dismissed the other vampire and made his way to the throne room. A light push of his hands sent the heavy double-doors swinging open and his brothers immediately honed in on him.

"Where have you been?" hissed Caius.

Aro glanced around him, then waved a hand in a flippant gesture to the members of the Guard positioned around the walls.

"Leave us." he commanded airily.

A brief whisper of air and the clicking of the doors told him that they were alone.

"I have received wonderful news that my dear friend Carlisle is in Forks, Washington. I will be leaving shortly to see him."

" _What!?_ " Caius exploded. "Aro, you cannot simply leave the castle whenever it suits you. You have responsibilities here with the rest of us!"

Aro blinked, his cheerful expression in danger of slipping. Marcus said nothing, simply staring at him…or through him, he wasn't entirely certain.

"Why, dear Caius, I am perfectly aware of my position here in Volterra – you need not remind me of that."

"Then what makes you think that it is perfectly acceptable to leave at any time?"

He felt his eyes begin to narrow, his friendly disposition morphing to something more mocking.

"Brother, _surely_ you would not be hindered by my absence?" he began in a placating tone that to Caius would surely sound condescending. "You and Marcus are perfectly capable of running Volterra for a short while."

He paused, watching Caius and knowing that the blonde vampire would take the comment as a backhanded insult, despite it obviously being a compliment. When the vampire leaned forward, his lip beginning to curve into a snarl, he knew he'd been right. He continued.

"If you so chose to visit a friend of your own, I would not stop you. As long as you were to return to us, there would be no objection from me. If you have never thought of this, it is simply because you have never asked."

His eyes narrowed further, and he took a step forward, his tone becoming dangerous.

"There is a friend that I dearly wish to see, and I _will_ be going."

His voice dropped low, a hint of a growl coming through.

"You will _not_ chain me here."

Caius leaned back in his chair, clearly uncomfortable. He turned his head toward Marcus, looking for support.

"Marcus? What say you about this?"

For a long moment, Marcus was silent, staring intensely at Aro as if he were a puzzle to solve. A hint of amusement shone in his dull eyes for a split moment before vanishing and he shook his head.

"I see no reason to prevent Aro from going. We are his brothers, not his caretakers," he stated flatly.

Caius looked like he was going to protest again, but clenched his jaw and sat up straight, one hand nearly cracking the arm of his throne.

"Very well. And when shall we expect your return?"

The jovial look was back on Aro's face, and Caius desperately wished he could rip it off with his hands, then spit on it good measure. Aro acted like a spoiled child trapped in the body of a powerful elder vampire, and he seemingly tried to fit into both roles, vacillating wildly between the two. It was unpredictable, _dangerous_ , and despite Aro's ambition gaining the Volturi several powerful members, he felt it was hardly worth the effort if they were subject to the whimsy of an eccentric – if not entirely insane – vampire. He held back the sneer as Aro began speaking again.

"No longer than a week, my dear brothers! I simply wish to catch up with Carlisle, and then I shall be on my way," he said cheerfully with a clap of his hands.

Caius leaned back, rudely dismissing Aro by turning his head and scowling petulantly. Marcus remained mute, nodding in acknowledgment but also not looking at him. Aro wanted to laugh as he made his way to his quarters to gather his belongings. Marcus hardly cared enough about his personal matters to want to interfere, and Caius was behaving like a child. He knew he could be the same way, but at least it was not over petty matters such as this. Although…perhaps it would not be so petty if Caius knew the real reason behind his departure. Carlisle was a friend, yes – quite possibly his only friend, in fact – and he fully intended to catch up with him as he said he would, but he had other priorities. The words of the report flashed in his mind, and he smiled. This was a golden opportunity to see little Isabella, to see how she had grown over the years.

"Soon, _mia stellina_. Soon we shall see what you have become."

* * *

Bella frowned to herself as the bronze-haired boy nearly sprinted out of their Biology classroom. What was _his_ problem? She couldn't be _that_ repulsive, could she? Whatever, she thought to herself sourly. She hadn't come here to make friends, anyway. She just wanted to give Renee the wiggle room she needed, even if it meant staying in a bleak place like this. It had been a long time ago that she had promised herself that she would never be a burden to anyone, and she was going to keep that promise as long as she had the ability to do so. Sighing softly, she stood and began making her way to the front of the school, staring at her feet. A tug in her chest made her frown and she squashed it down.

She was _not_ lonely.

Charlie was there to keep her company, even if they didn't really talk to each other and didn't spend a lot of time together. It would be enough, she affirmed mentally with a nod.

"Bella!"

She jumped, looking up into the bright gold eyes of one of the Cullen kids. What was her name? Alice?

"Uh, yeah?"

The girl stuck out her hand and Bella stared at it as if it was going to bite her.

"I'm Alice, you're Chief Swan's daughter, right?"

Bella nodded, slowly reaching forward to grab the offered hand and shaking it uneasily. A shock raced up the arm of the hand that was shaking Alice's.

"You're freezing."

Alice laughed, and Bella was mesmerized by the sound, similar to tinkling bells.

"Oh, sorry about that! I can't really stay warm, no matter how hard I try!"

"It's fine…" she said softly, then thought back to the boy in her class. "Hey, your brother seemed kind of off in class today. Was there something I did to make him mad?"

The girl laughed again, and this time Bella wasn't quite so enchanted by the sound. What was so funny?

"Don't worry about it, Bella. He was just having a bad day and isn't exactly the best at keeping it to himself."

That was putting it lightly. The look on his face had been murderous. And what had been with him covering his nose? She didn't stink, she'd washed her hair that morning! If he had a problem with strawberries, that was _his_ problem, not hers. All she wanted was for her junior and senior year to pass peacefully so she could leave and go somewhere warmer, somewhere she wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb.

But that had never been the case for her, had it? No matter where she went, she stood out for some reason, and she hated it. She didn't fit in anywhere, and no matter how hard she'd tried to ignore it, the weight of that statement almost crushed her sometimes. What was so different about her? Why couldn't she just…belong?

"…ella? Bella!"

She blinked, and realized she was glaring at the door handle of her truck. When had she moved? Alice stood behind her, and she saw the girl's look of concern on the reflection of her window. She turned, sighing.

"Sorry, I guess I just kinda…got lost in thought? It happens a lot."

Alice smiled in an understanding manner.

"That's okay, I do that too sometimes. But hey, since we're going to be great friends, how about you come over tomorrow? It'll be a way to apologize for Edward's rude behavior and to get to know you better! My mom is a great cook, I promise you won't regret it."

"Friends…?" Bella muttered, looking down.

"Yup! I just know it. Trust me, Bella, when I get a feeling, I'm usually never wrong."

It was tempting. She felt a little off-balance from the sudden attention, but what valid reason did she have to say no? One of her arms gripped the other, her posture closing off.

"Yeah, I guess I can."

"Great!" Alice said cheerily, turning around and heading to where her siblings stood waiting. The blonde girl, Rosalie, was scowling in their direction, and the blonde guy – Jasper, was it? – was staring her down with an intense look on his face. Great. Bella didn't know if she had the energy to win all of them over one by one. "We'll see you tomorrow, then!"

"Yeah, tomorrow…" she trailed off, scrunching her brows a little.

It wouldn't be that bad. Right?


	4. Chapter 3: The Magpie

Note: I love that you're all getting into this! I just want you to keep in mind that I'm _awfully_ fond of the set-up. All the pieces must be set on the board before I can continue, or else the game wouldn't make sense, would it? So please stay patient. We're actually very close to the start. -cheers-

Summary: In which the majority of the players take their places or  
In which Aro's magpie tendencies flare up with a vengeance.

* * *

Bella wasn't sure what about her had snagged the Cullens' attention, but she couldn't help but feel a little flattered. And scared. She bit down on a slice of apple, chewing thoughtfully. There were high expectations when it came to people that were as pretty as the family she was being introduced to, no matter how friendly a few of them seemed. She wasn't sure she could meet those expectations. They drove nice cars, they wore nice clothes, they had nice…everything. Meanwhile, she was decidedly _not_ nice, at least not in comparison. It wasn't like she was going to change for them any time soon, either.

She _liked_ her beat up truck, she _liked_ her comfortable worn-out jeans, and she _liked_ being able to blend in the background, which was very much not possible with the kind of friends she was likely going to be spending more time with. Bella nearly bit her tongue at the tail end of her thought. It was a little presumptuous to call them friends already, wasn't it? It didn't matter what Alice thought they _would_ be – the fact of the matter was that they weren't _yet_. But she wasn't exactly going to become friends with them if she spent all her time worrying about how they were different, now was she?

As she spent her time mentally spinning in circles, the Cullens sat at their table, sending her surreptitious glances. Jasper chuckled softly to himself, and Alice nudged him slightly to get his attention.

"What's so funny?"

"She's spinnin' herself in a tizzy. Most prominent is anxiety in that emotional cocktail of hers."

Rosalie snorted. "Good. Maybe the silly little human has some self-preservation instinct after all."

"Rose!" Alice hissed quietly.

"You're making a mistake, Alice," Rosalie hissed back. "We've never gotten close with one of them before. Why are we doing it now?"

Emmett wrapped an arm around her shoulder, rubbing gently in an attempt to soothe.

"Rosie, there shouldn't be any harm as long as we're careful, right? It'll be great! We can think of it like…intense practice."

"This isn't a risk we should be taking," Rosalie insisted with a fierce scowl. "We're already pushing it just by caging ourselves in here like sardines with what amounts to a buffet served on a silver platter."

Jasper's face screwed up in discomfort and Alice patted his hand gently before frowning at Rosalie with disapproval.

"We know what the risk is, but we're better than that, and you don't need to remind us. This is worth it!"

"Why?" came the quiet question to Alice's left. She looked over at Edward, taking in his unhappy expression.

Emmett looked confused.

"Shouldn't you know? I mean you can see, can't you?"

The look Edward shot Alice was pointed. "No."

Alice shrugged sheepishly. Okay, so she'd been a little evasive ever since Bella had become a focal point of her visions. But she knew that if Edward saw her visions, he wouldn't understand. He'd try to protect what didn't need protecting, and that was the _last_ thing she wanted, because if he did, there would only be a lot more grief that no one needed.

"Some things should remain surprises," she murmured with a soft smile. Jasper squeezed her hand and she flipped it over to lace their fingers together. He leaned toward her and whispered, too low for even the other vampires to hear.

"She's goin' to change everything, isn't she?"

A small nod was his only answer and he squeezed again, ghosting a kiss on the crown of her head. He wasn't comfortable with having a human so close, but he had to trust Alice to keep him, and everyone else – especially Edward – in check. The boy felt as uncomfortable as he did, and Jasper could tell he didn't appreciate being left in the dark with Alice on top of his inability to read his singer's mind. But underneath the frustration, he could detect a growing sense of curiosity. He wasn't sure how good that curiosity would be. Curiosity did, after all, kill the cat – but the cat would be the human in this scenario.

"I hope you know what you're doing," he mumbled.

* * *

Aro and Demetri stood in front of the door to the Cullens' home, Jane sent back to Italy for a rest. Forks was an acceptable place to be – dark, safe for beings such as himself and those he intended to visit. He silently applauded Carlisle's choice. It afforded him and his coven the freedom to move as they pleased, and for a moment, Aro wished he possessed that freedom. But what need had he of freedom, what need had he of the outside world, when all the world's power lay in his grasp within the confines of Volterra's castle? He dismissed the feeling like an errant fly.

Barely a moment had passed before the door opened, a woman with golden eyes and hair the color of caramel standing in the doorway. A quick glance told him that this vampire was married, and she carried the scent of Carlisle on her clothes. His mate, then.

"Hello, how may I help you?"

Her tone was friendly, but her body language was cautious. A good mate, being wary of strange males. Of course, she likely knew who he was, but instinct was a difficult thing to ignore in vampires.

"Yes, my dear, I was hoping that Carlisle would be home. You are his lovely mate, I presume?"

She smiled and bowed her head in a way that Aro thought was abashed.

"I am. My name is Esme." She lifted her head, her posture relaxing minutely. "May I similarly presume that you are Aro?"

"Quite correct. Would it be alright if I came in, along with my companion Demetri?"

"Oh of course! Make yourselves at home. I called Carlisle as soon as I knew you were here; he should be home soon, as should the rest of my children."

Aro blinked.

"Children?"

Esme held a hand up to her mouth, hiding a smile at the curious look on Aro's face.

"Yes, our coven functions a little…differently. Carlisle and I have assumed the role of protectors, or parents. Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, Jasper, and Edward are our 'children'."

"I see. How curious!" he exclaimed, his hands clasping together. His eyes narrowed in thought, then he took a step toward her, holding out a hand. "May I?"

The request was innocent enough, but Esme couldn't help but feel that it was less of a request and more of an order. Perhaps it was just the way he carried himself. He had the air of a man that always got what he wanted, and knowing his position in their world, he probably did.

She knew he had tactile telepathy. There was nothing she had that she wanted to hide, but still…it made her feel oddly vulnerable to know that he'd see everything she had seen. At least Edward's ability was only surface level. Gulping silently, she acquiesced, and he reached forward, engulfing her small hand within his larger ones. His eyes bored into hers, but it didn't seem that he was actually looking at her; rather, he was looking through her. After a couple of seconds, he pulled away, his eyes glinting strangely.

"Fascinating…"

Her freed hand curled up near her chest, her earlier wariness creeping back. Call it mother's intuition. Aro seemed to notice, but said nothing, simply smiling peacefully.

"I was actually in the middle of designing a new home when you arrived, so I'd very much like to return to that - I hope you don't mind."

Aro's smile widened. She wasn't lying, of course – she knew better than to lie. But what a lovely concept, to design one's own homes. She put an astounding amount of thought into her creations, even for a vampire.

"Not at all, dear Esme. In fact, I hope you do not mind if I join you? I'm afraid I do not have much to do in the time that I will be waiting for Carlisle."

"Oh…yes, of course," she said cordially. "Please, follow me."

Esme had long ago become numb to things such as cold or heat, but in that moment, as Aro smiled at her, she couldn't help but feel ice crawling down her spine.

* * *

Carlisle sat behind the desk in his study, Aro lounging in the chair before him. The elder vampire's eyes roved around the walls of the room, gleaming with what he could only assume was approval.

"It's not often that I get to see you outside of Volterra's walls, Aro. May I ask what the occasion is?"

"Ah, so even you suspect me of ill intent, dear friend. I'm saddened, but not entirely surprised. It has, after all, been many years."

Carlisle looked both ashamed and concerned.

"No, friend, nothing like that. I'm simply surprised. You've never made it a point to be too far from home."

Aro barely lifted his shoulders in a shrug, one leg crossing over the other.

"I have a member of the Guard that passed through this area and reported that you were here," he said off-handedly. "I was rather overtaken with excitement and could not control the impulse to see for myself."

His cloudy red eyes drifted toward his lap, his fingers lacing together over his knee and his voice dropping to a murmur.

"You are one of my dearest friends, so I'll have to ask that you forgive me for not being able to contain my joy."

"Aro…" Carlisle said softly, not quite sure what to say.

Those red eyes shot back up to the younger vampire, and the moment of weakness was gone, a bright smile morphing his features. Carlisle almost felt whiplash from how quickly it had happened and wondered how his friend could change disposition so quickly.

"Worry not, Carlisle. Demetri and I will not trouble you for very long. I simply wished to catch up and meet this wonderful… _family_ …of yours."

"Aro, don't think that you are on a time limit. You are more than welcome to spend time with us – I just wasn't expecting it, that's all."

"We both know that isn't necessarily true, now don't we?" came the quick response, smooth as silk. Carlisle had to resist raising his hackles.

"I'm sorry?"

"I have made contact with both you and your lovely mate, Esme. My arrival was hardly unexpected, dear friend. You had forewarning from one of your coven mates." He paused. " _Family members_ , I beg your pardon," he corrected with a faint twist of his lips, as if the phrase sat strangely in his mouth.

"Not only that," he continued, feeling excitement grow beneath his breast, "but this young woman wished that your resident telepath not know of my presence until there were no other potential paths to take. Why is that?"

Carlisle looked perturbed, his mouth pinched into a fine line.

"We don't know. Alice has been very cagey in letting us know what she saw. The only thing she informed us about was that you were going to be visiting."

Just then, his cell phone began to ring and he answered it without looking, his voice becoming cool and professional.

"This is Carlisle Cullen speaking."

Aro briefly considered if that was what he would sound like all the time if he had embraced his nature instead of fighting it. But then he would no longer be Carlisle, would he? He had become so fond of Carlisle because he was _different_ from the rest of his kind – he had retained his humanity while the rest of them, including himself, had abandoned it and embraced the monster inside.

"Carlisle, it's Alice," said the voice on the phone. "I'm bringing a friend home from school. Her name is Bella Swan, Chief Swan's daughter from Arizona."

For a moment, Carlisle was uncharacteristically struck dumb, his mouth opening and closing twice before recovering.

"Alice, you know we have company already…"

"I know, I'm the one that told you. It will be fine, I promise. I've seen it. Oh, here she comes now. I'll be bringing her by around seven for dinner. We can all hunt before then to prevent any mishaps," came the speedy reply before the line abruptly cut off.

Carlisle stared at the phone, then at Aro, and the excitement blooming in Aro's chest exploded. She was going to be at the house _tonight_. What fortune! He kept his expression placid and raised a brow in question. His friend was silent for another moment, seemingly at a loss.

"I…suppose we're having a guest."

Aro _smiled_.

"Please, tell me more about this… _guest_ ," he purred, leaning back in his chair.

"Aro," Carlisle immediately started, half caution, half plead, "she's not for…for eating."

The elder vampire's snort was derisive.

"Judging by the still-unusual color of your eyes, I had assumed as much. Please do not think so little of me."

"I was actually thinking about _you_ when I said that. I don't want you or Demetri to think that she can be picked off at the earliest convenience. It's not just her, either. We have a treaty with the Quileute tribe that no vampires will hunt humans in Forks and the surrounding forests, so for our sakes, please hunt outside of the area." Aro graciously accepted that, and Carlisle continued. "She knows nothing about us, I can promise you that, and it will stay that way."

 _'_ _For now'_ , Aro thought to himself rather smugly, then paused again. There he was again, thinking of her being a vampire as he was. She was yet young, barely entering the tender age of seventeen. Older than Jane, but younger than him when he was changed at twenty-four. He hoped to have her join his Guard after her turning, should she agree to be turned. At that, he mentally scoffed. Agree? She didn't _need_ to agree to be turned. And she didn't _need_ to agree to join, either. She _would_ be a vampire serving in Volterra. He had to see it for himself, to see if her human gift grew stronger with the venom in her system. His venom. He had taken a rather personal interest in this little human. When she was to be turned, it would be by _him_ , and the thought had a surge of possessiveness coursing through his body, causing his fingers to curl. He nodded slowly, letting Carlisle know he'd heard.

"This is acceptable. Tell me more."

Carlisle opened his mouth to say he knew nothing else, but was interrupted when his phone buzzed 3 times in quick succession in his pocket. Frowning softly, he pulled it out and saw 3 texts from Alice, all using the max character limit, with information on Bella. So telling Aro was important? Why? She was just…he sighed to himself and shook his head, accepting it for what it was and arranged the information in his brain in a way that sounded more articulate than a bunch of abbreviated words and chopped sentences.

"Alright, well…"

* * *

Aro and Demetri stood in the living room as the rest of Carlisle's coven entered the house. _Such talent_ , he thought to himself, and the solitary male, Edward, swiveled his head toward him, his brows furrowing.

"Relax, brother. His emotional climate is content," Jasper reassured. Aro fixated on him.

"Ah, yes, you are the legendary Major of the Southern Wars, are you not?"

Jasper strode forward, power in his long strides, and he held out a hand for Aro to shake. Jasper towered over him, and his expression was perfectly neutral, which would have intimidated lesser vampires, but Aro felt only excitement. Grinning delightedly, Aro grasped the offered hand firmly, then trapped it with his other hand, his eyes fluttering closed.

"Spectacular," he breathed. "You are every bit as incredible as the stories say, dear Major." His eyes opened and locked with the veteran vampire, open admiration shining in his milky red orbs. "Perhaps it is presumptuous of me to say," he said lowly, glancing pointedly at Jasper's covered arms, "but you should have no shame in what you are and where you came from. We all have our stories, some darker than others. It is who we _are_."

Jasper shifted uncomfortably, pulling out of Aro's grip with little resistance.

"I'll…think about it."

"Of course."

Oh, how _powerful_ an asset the famed Major would be! He could intimidate lesser vampires and newborns just with a glance at his scar-covered body, and incapacitate any other vampire by filling them with raw terror, drive out all reason in skilled vampires by pumping them full of mindless rage, overwhelm them with desolation so powerful they would _beg_ for death…the possibilities were many, and all highly favorable.

He glanced at the other two gifted vampires in the room and felt his fingertips itch. The ability to hear thoughts of multiple individuals at once _without_ touch…the famed ability of premonition…both abilities would enable these vampires to know the moves of their target before they even made them. Together, they would be an incredible force to be reckoned with, granting near invincibility, and a pulse of _want_ flew through him. Such _wonderful_ treasures…

Edward cleared his throat, obviously becoming upset at Aro's line of thinking, and the man forced himself to relax. He had all the time in the world to ask them to join him, and even if they refused, they belonged to Carlisle, and by extension – in his mind – him. Calling in favors surely wouldn't be a bad thing?

"Don't count on it," he heard a low mutter, almost too low for him to hear. Edward refused to look at him, and Aro smiled at the petulant look on the other vampire's face. Sullen like Marcus, snappish like Caius, with a spark of something else in-between. How quaint.

"Alright, everyone," Carlisle called, holding up his hands. "Alice is going to bring Bella around seven. That gives us three hours to hunt and return – and to shower and change, if necessary," he added with a look toward Emmett who shrugged innocently. "If you feel you must take any extra precautions, please do so."

He turned to Aro.

"Did you bring any contacts, in case you wanted to be here when Bella arrives?"

"I can always buy some. I did not exactly have any intention of meeting humans during my stay." Lie. He had two pairs of sky blue contacts to make his eyes a murky purple, but to the Cullens he had no reason to possess such things.

"Alice," came the soft voice of Esme, "do you perhaps know what it is that Bella likes to eat? I'd like for her to enjoy her meal."

Medium-rare steak, mashed potatoes with skins and sour cream, and sautéed green beans, came the immediate answer in Aro's mind. It was an uncommon meal in Bella's repertoire, admittedly, but Jane had reported that the girl took special care cooking the dish and took her time consuming it, always looking a little happier afterward. Alice's eyes flicked over to him as if in warning, and she suggested a simple chicken carbonara. If Alice thought he was foolish enough to forget that Edward could hear him, she had not observed him well enough in her visions. In a vampire his age, it was rather easy to divide his thoughts into conscious layers to hide what he was really thinking. On the surface, he was considering matters in Volterra, and what his next meal would be, and he saw the resulting cringe in the bronze-haired vampire, which made him smirk.

 _I am what I am, dear boy. I will not spare you that reality._ And then his thoughts were filled with all of the humans he'd fed from before, taking a sort of vindictive pleasure in hearing the boy's jaw clench hard as he attempted to control his rising bloodlust.

A harsh exhale came from Edward's direction, and then he was gone. Motion made Aro turn and he saw that Jasper was hunched over, shaking, his arms wrapped around himself. Then he, too, was gone. So he felt bloodlust as if it were an emotion, as well. Interesting, he thought mildly. Esme and Carlisle ran after Edward, and Rosalie and Emmett ran after Jasper. Alice stayed behind, scowling fiercely.

"That was uncalled for," she hissed, striding forward. She poked him in the chest, and Demetri took a step forward, a growl building in his throat. Aro held up a hand, commanding Demetri to stop and he stared down at the offending appendage. "I'm doing you a favor here, the least you could do is not torture my brother and my husband!"

"My apologies," he said with a smile, completely unapologetic. "I was not aware it would be so… _potent_."

"Edward hasn't always been so supportive of our diet, and Jasper is still struggling. The least you could do is keep that in mind, especially since you've seen it from touching our hands. You have no excuse!"

"It would not be such an issue if they simply embraced their true natures."

"That's not the point! They have their reasons for drinking from animals. It's called respecting their lifestyle. You do it for Carlisle. Try to do it for the rest of us."

Feisty little thing, he thought happily.

"I will take it under consideration," he promised with a smile. "Now why are you doing this for me, little Alice?"

"She's my sister, and she deserves to be happy."

Well, _there_ was an odd string of words.

"Care to elucidate?"

Alice began walking toward the rear entrance of the house, pausing in front of the door.

"All you need to know is that I care about her and that she will find happiness with us, in the path she's going down. She was meant for this."

 _She was meant for immortality._

A slow smile curved Aro's lips.

"I see."

She pointed at Demetri.

"And send him to feed. If he doesn't, he runs the risk of killing her."

Unacceptable. He glanced at Demetri and gestured carelessly.

"Go."

A whisper of air told him his companion was gone. He glanced back at where Alice was standing and saw that she was gone, too. Feisty and quick, he amended. What a curious little family, he thought as he reclined in a cushioned wooden chair that was bordering a chess table. He glanced at the set, then reached down and picked up the white queen, twirling the piece between his fingers.

It wouldn't be long now.


	5. Chapter 4: The Beginning

Chapter Summary: In which the main players of the game continue to be oblivious for the foreseeable future or  
In which they finally meet

* * *

 _'_ _It shouldn't be this difficult to find a house'_ , Bella inwardly snarled. She knew she had a terrible sense of direction, but this was bordering ridiculous. It was just as well that she left so early, then; her subconscious must have known that she would have a hard time. She looked at her cell phone, feeling anxiety and shame curl in her gut. The last thing she wanted to do was call Alice – pride told her that if she couldn't find it on her own with the directions Alice gave her, then she didn't deserve to visit them at all. Her phone began to ring as she was still thinking about it, and the anxiety flared when she saw that it was Alice. _Speak of the devil…_

She pulled over and answered it, her grip tightening on the steering wheel. "Hello?"

"Hey Bella, are you going to be able to find us alright?" Alice chirped.

 _'_ _No I can't find it - why is your house in an alternate dimension!?'_ She mentally screamed. How could Alice always sound so chipper? It drove her nuts.

"Uh…" she hesitated. Damn it, she was going to have to just bite the bullet. Gritting her teeth, she continued, "I'm actually driving around in circles trying to find you guys. I'm kinda…"

She sighed.

"I can't find you guys, and I need help."

Alice laughed. Bella was starting to feel like a huge joke with all the laughing Alice did at her expense.

"Alright, I'll help you. Put me on speakerphone so you can have both hands on the wheel and follow my directions. I'll be waiting at the entrance to our driveway."

"Thanks. I'm sorry I'm so bad at this."

She heard a scoff on the other line.

"Don't worry about it. Our place is hard to find, but I bet you'll remember it after this!"

"I hope so," Bella muttered.

* * *

With Alice's patient and concise directions, a few minutes of directions brought her to a pathway that was nearly hidden by trees that was only brought to her attention by the diminutive woman standing near its opening. She stopped, and Alice walked toward the truck, though Bella really wanted to call it 'skipping'. The way Alice moved reminded her of the faery folk in the stories she read, graceful and lithe, like every step was part of a dance. She desperately wished she could move that way, too. Instead, she was clumsy and awkward and looked like a mess next to someone like Alice.

"Hey, don't look so glum! It's not like it was easy to find."

She jumped and swiveled her head to see that Alice was already in the truck with her. Cripes, she was so distracted that she hadn't even heard Alice get in. The girl raised a delicate eyebrow in question to her reaction.

"Uh, sorry. I wasn't really paying attention."

Alice stared at her, concern shining in those pretty golden eyes.

"Are you okay?"

Bella hesitated. She wanted to say, but no one really liked self-pity or things of that nature. It would just make Alice laugh at her (again), and despite her reservations, she wanted to be friends with Alice and the rest of the Cullens.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Alice crossed her arms and raised a brow. "I don't believe you."

"You don't have to," she snapped then clicked her jaws shut. No no. Damn! Alice didn't need to be subjected to her attitude. It wasn't her fault. She waited for Alice to get angry, to snap back, to open the door and get out of her life.

Instead, Alice blinked and leaned back in her seat.

"That just tells me that you really _aren't_ okay. What's wrong, Bella? Do you not want to hang out with us?"

"No! I mean, yes! I mean…" Bella planted her forehead on the steering wheel and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She was doing this all wrong.

"I _do_ want to spend time with you all. It's just…I'm waiting for the catch, you know? I'm waiting for you to tell me that it was a joke, or that you want something from me, or…" she sighed. "I'm not used to this, I'm sorry."

She felt a small, cold hand touch her shoulder.

"Bella, I wanted you to come over because I knew we could be good friends just by looking at you. And I bet you could be great friends with my siblings, too!" Alice began counting on her fingers. "Emmett's a cuddle bug that loves card games, and Rosalie loves to fix cars! Jasper is a big history buff, and loves playing guitar. Edward loves playing piano and reading books. I love to draw and design dresses. You have to be interested in at least _one_ of those things, right? It's bonding material!"

"That just makes you guys sound more perfect," Bella mumbled.

Alice sighed and Bella turned her head to see the other girl pouting. She wanted to smile at the sight.

"You're really hard to please, you know that? We have flaws too, and you'll see that in time. I can list those off, too, if you _really_ need me to."

Bella snorted in laughter and covered her mouth, shaking her head.

"No, it's fine. I just need to get over it. I'll take you at your word."

"Good! Now let's get to the house. We have a family friend over, and I've kind of been gushing over you for a while, so if he talks to you like he's known you forever, just go with it."

Alice had been talking about her? She felt her face heat up.

"All good things, I assume," she weakly tried to joke.

Alice nodded as if she was being serious. "Of course! I'm pretty sure everyone loves you by now, even the guest."

"I wouldn't go that far…"

Alice laughed.

* * *

He leafed through a book, unseeing. His twitching foot, crossed at the ankles, was the only sign that something was amiss. Time was _dragging_ , and he couldn't say he was exactly pleased. Only an hour had passed and it felt like it had been much, _much_ longer. He breathed in and slowly expelled the air through his nose. Patience had never been a strong suit of his, even though he made it look that way. This felt like a unique brand of torture. Three more hours of this agonizing waiting.

Aro's ears perked when he heard a rather monstrous noise coming down the Cullen's driveway. Machinery, an old vehicle. Wait…didn't Isabella get an old truck from…? The book in his hand snapped shut and he sat still, listening.

The noise from the vehicle cut off and he picked up a heartbeat in its wake that was increasing in tempo in the seconds that ticked by. Soft voices reached him.

"Well, here we are. What do you think?" That was Alice. Was she not supposed to be hunting with the others?

"It's…about what I expected in terms of grandeur," the unfamiliar voice said. "A little more modern, though."

"Modern? What were you expecting, a Victorian mansion?"

The other voice snorted. "Weird as it sounds, yeah. Those kinds of houses scream 'old money' and…uh. I dunno, I was thinking that's what you guys were."

"Carlisle is an accomplished doctor and Esme is a successful interior designer and architect. Even if we had 'old money', we wouldn't really need it."

"Oh. Uh…" the voice sounded awkward and uncomfortable. "I didn't know that. Are you sure you guys aren't perfect?"

"Bella, relax. We're by no means perfect – our parents were driven to succeed in life is all, and they're hoping to have us follow in their footsteps."

 _Bella_. It was her! Aro nearly destroyed the book in his grip and knew that if he had a beating heart, it'd be in his throat. She was early! Everyone was still gone…Aro barely held back the urge to begin laughing. Alice, that clever little minx.

"Like a bunch of architects and doctors?"

Alice laughed. "No, silly! To succeed like they have. They won't support us forever, and want us to have the means to support ourselves in the future. Can you imagine Emmett in a doctor's coat or designing a house?"

"Hey, I don't know him yet, he could have a great eye for color to set the mood of a room," Isabella shot. Then she chuckled. "He would look kind of ridiculous in a doctor's coat, though, wouldn't he?"

"There, see? You're relaxing! Come on, let's go inside. I've got to show you around. If I let Esme do it, she'll talk your ear off about why the rooms are the way they are."

That was his warning. Aro flitted to the room Esme had lent him and made quick work of putting in the contacts, blinking a few times to dispel the agitation of having the terrible contraptions on. A breath had him back in the living room and in his chair as he heard the truck doors slam closed and he felt his hands involuntarily clench. He forced them to relax.

The smell of home invaded his nostrils for the first time in seven years and he stiffened his limbs to resist sprinting to the door. Images of seaside cliffs and scarlet sunsets flashed behind his closed eyes and the smell of ocean air surrounded him. All throughout, the thump of Isabella's heartbeat was loud in his ears and he treasured the sound. _She was really here._

Isabella really was as soft-spoken as she had been as a child, a tinge of reluctance coloring her responses to Alice's excited chatter. His lips twitched upward – he had known this would be the case. Their footsteps grew louder, and he felt himself stand without meaning to. The door was pushed open and Alice danced into the room, a large smile showing off her pearly teeth.

He stopped breathing as Isabella followed behind, her shoulders slightly hunched, a single finger from her right hand curled into her hair and teeth biting into her plump lower lip. She was beautiful, for a human – far more beautiful than he had expected. Jane's reports had hardly done her justice. But…perhaps he was a touch biased. She took in her surroundings, torn between awe and discomfort.

Then she made eye contact with him, and it was as if the world had stopped. Earth brown locked with murky violet and Aro took that moment to admire the beautiful young woman she had grown up to become. He had chosen well, he thought with no small amount of pride, and reaffirmed that she would make a magnificent vampire.

His feet began moving without his permission again and before he could stop himself, he'd reached out and grabbed her hand. His mouth twitched, and he shoved down the urge to begin tittering madly. He could see _nothing_. She was immune to him, as well. What an absolute _prize_. He bowed, a gesture he had made to no one, mortal or immortal, and brought her hand to his lips, just barely brushing the smooth, warm skin.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Isabella."

"Bella," she blurted, then froze, her face lighting up a bright red.

He smiled, relishing her expression and the increased potency of the scent she emitted. "Bella. It means 'beautiful' in Italian, did you know?"

Her blush seemed to intensify. "Mom used to mention it all the time…" she said as quietly as possible. His strangely accented voice was doing funny things to her insides, and she felt the oddest compulsion to touch his dark hair to see if it was as soft as it looked. He was so pale, paler even than the Cullen kids, and she felt the fingers of her free hand twitch.

She stared down at where he was grasping her hand. His touch was freezing like Alice's, but she ignored that in favor of admiring the shape of his fingers. Long, elegant, and smooth. She had once heard the term "anatomically perfect", and she felt that there was no better phrase to describe him. His hands, she corrected mentally. He began speaking again, and she snapped out of her thoughts, feeling like crawling into a hole and hiding forever.

"I believe it rather suits you, but I much prefer Isabella, myself. I hope you do not mind if I continue to call you such."

"I guess," she mumbled, attempting to hunch deeper into herself in embarrassment.

Aro found he was having far too much fun seeing her so flustered.

"Perhaps not, then? How about _mia stellina_?"

"'My little star'?"

His eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Ah, so you know a little Italian!"

She was chewing on her lip again, and Aro was finding it unusually difficult to not stare.

"I took a few lessons when I was younger."

"Beautiful _and_ talented. It seems you have no shortage of gifts."

He released her hand and she clutched it to her chest, staring at him strangely.

"I don't think I got your name."

"Ah, how rude of me! My name is Aro. It is quite the pleasure to make your acquaintance."

She felt the weirdest urge to curtsy in response and ignored it. Maybe it was just the way he spoke. It was very cultured, almost bordering on being stuffy. She wondered why; he looked young, maybe early to mid-twenties.

"Likewise." She looked over at Alice standing at the base of the stairs and felt guilt. She'd pretty much completely forgotten that Alice had been there. "Uh, I'll come back and talk to you later? Alice had some stuff she wanted to show me."

Aro chuckled softly and Bella felt butterflies explode in her stomach at the sound. What the hell was wrong with her? She began moving toward the stairs, shoving down the feeling.

"Take your time, my dear. I shall be waiting." He wanted to bite his tongue as he said that. Had he not done enough waiting? Still, it wouldn't do to steal too much of Isabella's time when she didn't know that she was really here for him.

Bella mouthed 'my dear?' to Alice and the girl began giggling. They began walking up the stairs, and Bella whispered, "Is it just me or is Aro half a step from talking like he just walked off the set of a period movie?"

Aro felt a flash of indignation at that and grabbed the discarded book, deciding to actually read it this time around.

"Bella, be nice! Maybe he just wanted to make an impression?"

"Why?" she sounded confused as she asked.

"Why not? I mean you're a pretty girl, Bella – what guy _wouldn't_ want to make an impression?"

"No I'm not," she immediately retorted. Aro frowned. Why would she not think herself beautiful?

"Don't give me that; Tyler and Mike were drooling all over you as soon as they saw you."

'Tyler and Mike' sounded like they would make wonderful appetizers for his next meal, he thought vindictively. How dare they covet what was his? He didn't bother to analyze his thoughts that time, far too entangled in the pleasure he'd take in removing them from Isabella's life _permanently_.

"Hold on," Alice said quickly.

Aro blinked, snapping out of his musing as his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. The number was unrecognized, but he smirked as he read the message and realized that it was Alice.

 _Don't even think about it. If you do, we'll have to move and I'm not letting you separate me from my sister so soon._

It had taken him time to adjust to the novelty of a cellular device, and he had become slightly confused when almost every button had disappeared in favor of a larger screen as the phone rapidly evolved. The first phone of such make that he'd attempted had nearly caused him to give up on it altogether when the screen wouldn't respond to his dead touch. Another attempt found him using a small pen-like object – a stylus, they'd called it – to enter commands, and luckily it had worked.

He would have preferred using the small silver phone he'd had when he met Isabella, but it had been crushed in his pocket when one of the Arizonan coven members had attempted to tackle him to allow the other members to run. What a disappointment that had been.

The small black pen glided over the screen as he constructed a response.

 _Worry not, little Alice. Your human classmates are safe from me and mine._

He heard a small huff of air upstairs as Alice's phone made a sound like chimes.

"Alright, as I was saying…"

Isabella cut her off. "Look, I know you mean well, but I just find it way too hard to believe you."

There was a beat of silence and Aro turned his eyes upward toward where they were. The book lay forgotten. "Is it okay if I ask why?" Alice prompted gently.

"I…uh. I don't know, it might not make sense to you."

"You'd be surprised, Bella."

Another beat of silence.

"Not right now. Kinda early in our friendship to be diving into the deep stuff, isn't it?"

He heard a soft sigh, likely Alice.

"Alright, Bella. But I want you to know that I'm always open to talk."

"Right, thanks."

Aro quickly recounted all the reports in his head, looking for a possible reason for Isabella's low opinion of herself. If anything, she should have been proud and confident, being as self-sufficient, dependable, and talented as she was. What was he missing? His phone buzzed.

 _Ask her later._

He narrowed his eyes slightly.

 _There was no question in that, my dear. I would have asked her whether you directed me to or not. Relaying it step by step seems a little heavy-handed, no?_

The response was swift.

 _I forget that sometimes. Sorry! I thought you would have liked that, though?_

Aro considered that. In any other circumstance, perhaps. He was unsure what it was about his obsession with Isabella, but he felt a tinge of annoyance at the thought of him not directing his own moves concerning her. It was his choice to have her followed, it was his choice to have potential threats removed like the one older human that had thought her easy prey when she was thirteen (she would be no easy prey as long as he had his sights on her), it was his choice to come see her, his choice to eventually turn her. He would have it no other way.

 _In this case, I am afraid not._

 _I see! I'll make sure not to tell you anything unless it's important, then. ;P_

Was that supposed to be a face? The elder vampire tilted his head to the side and scrunched his brows together. How peculiar. Her tone was very playful, and he wasn't sure if he cared for it. Most vampires were afraid of him or outright hated him. The fact that Alice seemed to feel neither toward him was confusing. Was it because of Isabella and whatever it was that Alice saw? She was one of the only vampires he had not touched yet, and she seemed to be exceptionally talented at keeping out of his reach. It seemed that not even he was privy to her visions. He could order her to show him, of course, but he had the impression that she would refuse him in a way that he could not be angry with.

 _Some things should remain surprises_ , she had said. He had heard that statement when he had made contact with The Major.

He heard Isabella laugh at something Alice said and realized he had not been paying attention, a rarity that had him steepling his fingers in front of his smiling lips.

 _Surprise, indeed._

* * *

Note: Alright guys, so this is essentially the end of the preview. I'd already had these written before I'd begun posting, so now updates will be quite a bit slower, perhaps once every few days, once a week at latest. If there are any other further delays, it would be because I have to be heavy-handed in my care of sick family members. So please be patient with me, and I hope you've enjoyed!


	6. Chapter 5: Dinner and a Show

Note: I'm sorry I've been gone so long. I can't promise I won't leave for a while again, but I can promise that I think about this story a LOT. I wish I had someone to bounce ideas around with.

Chapter Summary: In which Bella consistently sticks her foot in her mouth or

In which Aro gets to spend a little bit of (supervised) time with the human.

* * *

Bella stared down at the plate in front of her, her eyes wide.

"Wow…this looks amazing."

Esme hovered nearby, her tightly clasped hands the only sign of her anxiety.

"The real test will be if you like the taste. Go on," she urged gently.

"Well I mean it smells good…" Bella muttered, but picked up her silverware anyway. She cut off a slice of chicken and, without much preamble, bit into the piece.

Her eyes closed and she had to resist groaning. God, Esme was like the model housewife. It wasn't _fair_. Swallowing, she took a short breath and looked at the older woman.

"It's…really good."

"Oh! Thank goodness; I haven't had many opportunities to cook this dish."

Bella nodded then shook her head lightly, raising her eyebrows. "Well, you should make it more often. It's amazing."

"I'm glad to hear it," Esme said with a smile. "I'll leave you to it, then."

"Wait, what about you guys?"

The older woman paused, turning back to Bella with a soft smile.

"Oh, we've already eaten; don't worry about us."

She turned again and began walking toward the door, but once more paused when she heard Bella speak in a small voice. "Um…"

"Yes?"

Oh, this was stupid, Bella thought to herself. It was a ridiculous request, and she should be used to eating alone – she'd done it plenty enough when she was living with Renee – but the idea of eating alone in such a large and beautiful kitchen had her feeling unsettled.

"Would it…uh. Would it be okay if I ate out there in the living room?"

Esme blinked in surprise.

"Well of course dear. But why would you want to do that?"

"Um…" Bella bowed her head slightly, biting her lip softly. Esme could see that the girl felt unsure, nervous. Her motherly instincts kicked in and all she saw was a child that needed the comfort of family. She smiled softly, understanding.

"Nevermind, dear. Come, I'll grab a small folding table so you can eat in the armchair."

An unexpected surge of relief surged through Bella, releasing itself in a quiet sigh. She picked up her plate, preparing to follow Esme out.

"That would be great, thanks."

* * *

She wasn't sure what had possessed her to think this was a good idea. She quietly picked at her food, trying to pick up snippets of the conversations around her. There was a small comfort in having other bodies around her, but it was overshadowed by the curious glances the Cullens kept sending her, and by the overwhelming presence of Aro.

Aro.

What was with him? She'd seen arrogant people before, proud people, but Aro was on a completely different level. He carried himself like royalty, with a presence that filled the room with subtle power. He sat on his part of the couch as if it were a throne, and even just reading a book as he was, he did so while radiating statuesque grace and beauty. _It wasn't fair_ , she grumped to herself silently. What was he reading, anyway? She tiled her head, trying to get a view of the cover partially obscured by his fingers. _'He has such nice hands.'_

' _He has such nice everything,'_ another, quieter voice in her head stated.

' _Get a grip'_ , she scolded herself, stabbing a piece of chicken with more force than strictly necessary. She just met the guy and she was having an attack of hormones. Could she really hold it against herself, though? He was one of the most attractive people she'd ever met. He was tall, not as tall as Emmett or Jasper, but still taller than her measly 5'4", with gently sloping shoulders and a lean figure accentuated by long legs framed perfectly with expensive looking slacks. She moved her study of him to his face, faintly narrowing her eyes in thought. His jawline was sharp with a gently rounded chin, his lips thin but soft-looking. Said lips were lifted slightly in amusement and paranoia made her look quickly to his strange murky violet eyes to see if he had noticed her staring. He seemingly hadn't, thankfully still focused on his book. A part of her felt guilty at the relief the felt that he may have problems with his vision, that he wasn't utterly perfect.

Perhaps he was anemic, too? The Cullens were pale, absurdly so, even to a pale girl like herself, but Aro was pale to the point of being chalky. It made his dark hair stand out even more starkly, falling like a layer of black silk against his shoulders. Her perusal continued, violently squashing the urge to cross the room and pet the raven locks, audience be damned. The investigation ended at his hands again, and she wondered why she liked them so much. There were a lot of things to admire about his appearance, but his hands drew her attention like nothing else could. Belatedly, she noticed that his fingers had shifted, pulling the book higher and allowing her to see the title printed on the spine in stark goldleaf lettering: Goethe's Faust.

"Faust?" she intoned, not realizing she'd spoken aloud.

Aro smiled wider, raising his eyes from the tome to lock gazes with her.

"The sordid tale of a desperate man who sold his soul to Mephistopheles for a mere glimpse of transcendence," he commented airily.

Huh. "I didn't think you the type to read fantasy."

She wanted to squirm at the look he gave her. "Do you know all individuals so soon after making their acquaintance?" he questioned, raising a brow.

Flushing hotly, Bella stumbled over her words, feeling horribly rude and stupid. "N-no, I mean, I didn't, I would never—"

She abruptly cut herself off, taking in the way his eyes were creasing at the edges and his shoulders were shaking with repressed laughter. She took a quick swig of tea, trying to fight down the burn of shame that she'd made such a fool of herself.

"I am teasing you, Isabella. Please do not get upset."

"I didn't mean to assume…" Bella mumbled.

"It is only human to do so," he reasoned, and he heard the eldest Cullen boy snort in a rather undignified fashion at his choice of words.

"In any case," Aro continued, "you could hardly consider it fantasy. Rather, it is a tragedy, seen by some as a cautionary tale against wishing for that which you do not have. In fact, I'd say that it's a shining example of the folly and arrogance of Man, never able to take the blame once it is shown that Man is at fault."

She didn't think herself the smartest person around, but Bella did have a deep-seated love of books. As long as the story was good, she was game. Her curiosity piqued, she smiled and leaned forward a bit.

"Well that sounds kind of interesting. I'll have to go get a copy at the library or something."

The book lowered toward Aro's lap and she felt a little thrill at having his undivided attention. Granted, she'd likely had it the entire time given how he'd hardly taken his eyes off her since she'd spoken, but it was the gesture of him lowering the book that made it so satisfying.

"You enjoy books?"

"Yeah, have ever since I was small. I like going to different worlds, being someone else and going on adventures, that sort of thing. It's the best kind of escape and has endless possibilities! It's…well it's…er…" she trailed off, realizing that her enthusiasm had been bleeding into her voice and body language. Aro quirked a brow.

"What is wrong?"

"I just…I got too excited. Sorry," she mumbled, her shoulders hunching up around her neck.

The man snorted softly. "Isabella." She looked up at him, feeling heat crawling up into her face when his voice dropped to a purr. "Never be ashamed of enjoying yourself."

Feeling decidedly flustered, Bella leaned back and took a slow breath.

"Y-yeah. I uh…thanks."

* * *

He couldn't help but chuckle. Aro hadn't felt this entertained by another being's facial expressions since he'd knocked the Romanian coven from power. Sparing a quick glance at Carlisle and the rest of his coven, he took in the looks of disgust and growing suspicion at their conversation. Ahh, so they didn't trust him around the human, he thought with amusement. He watched as Esme gently asked if Bella had enjoyed her meal, the plate mostly empty. Nodding and apologizing for taking her time (she apologized often. Why?), she stood, grabbing the plate and heading to the kitchen. Esme followed, saying that the girl didn't need to wash her own plate, but Isabella insisted. Of course she would – she was hardly the type to be waited on.

He swiveled his gaze back toward the living room, and saw that at least three of the men were studying him intently, his own friend included. Carlisle looked curious, Edward looked distrustful, and the Major looked considering. He had looked completely contented before, apparently soaking in whatever emotions Isabella had been giving off. The rest regarded him cautiously, and Alice, the dear thing, radiated tranquility, gently rubbing circles into the Major's hand and leaning against his shoulder. The blond vampire glanced her way and leaned down, murmuring something unintelligible into her hair. A sweet gesture, he thought idly.

An odd thing, mates. Despite the many glimpses he'd gotten of it over the ages, he'd never understood the concept. He knew what they _were_ , but not how it was supposed to _feel_. How could one tie themselves so irrevocably to someone else, risk life and limb and power all for the sake of another? It made no sense. His own sister had had one and look how that ended up. She sought to steal one of his kings, one of his prizes, and with her gone the man was practically a shadow. Where was the advantage in that? He'd spent decades, centuries, building his empire, taking what he wanted, when he wanted and how he wanted. No one would ever take that from him.

Crocuses invaded his nostrils again and he shut his eyes briefly before fixating on the source, the girl laughing softly at something Alice had said. She looked in his direction before quickly turning away, tucking her hair behind her ear and a blush high on her cheekbones.

No one.


End file.
